


to be gone when i wake

by itscoolbabe



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: ......just read it, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Cannibalism, Children, Dead People, Domestic Fluff, Dubious Science, Fluff, Gore, Guns, Hurt/Comfort, Kim Taehyung | V & Park Jimin are Best Friends, M/M, Monsters, Science Experiments, Science Monsters, Scientist Jung Hoseok | J-Hope, Scientist Kim Seokjin | Jin, Scientist Min Yoongi | Suga, Suicide Attempt, Zombie Apocalypse, Zombies, cryptid creatures, like very fucking iffy, no slow burn they go brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, ooooooooh boy LETS GO BB, they dont eat actual people, they soulmates motherfuckers, txt are kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-14 09:15:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28918182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itscoolbabe/pseuds/itscoolbabe
Summary: A virus spreads and destroys most of the population, it's spread is something that would've been delayed for a few months, even a year or two if the governments had paid attention. It ravaged country after country and continent after continent. Humans were the target and they were transformed into monsters, flesh-eating creatures.Like most movies and video games had predicted, humanity became much likeThe Last of Us.Yoongi was one of the few outliners in all of the somewhat predicted media, as one of the few people who had any prior knowledge, he didn't panic and screamed about anywhere, he prepared, stocked up and got to working on the cure. But hardly anything goes as you expect it.Twelve years later and with most of his country spread thin in different camps, Yoongi, becomes a father, and gains friends while being something not completely human... something unlike the human eating creatures roaming the earth.It's worse.
Relationships: Kim Taehyung | V/Min Yoongi | Suga
Comments: 7
Kudos: 90





	to be gone when i wake

**Author's Note:**

> no beta we die. 
> 
> while i would love to say this pre-dates miss rona and her take over of the u.s.a it doesnt. i started this **TWO** months after we went into lockdown and it has been in my fucking drafts for almost a whole year until now when i had barely enough will to finish it.

"Shit," the word rang into the long and dark space of the corridor, the hum of generators making the metal vibrate ever so slightly. "Fuck, shit, shit."

Tapping rang out, the footfalls not at all heavy as the man was making his running faster. There was growling, clicking of teeth, and snarling from somewhere ahead of Yoongi, he knew where. Infected trying to break out of their cage and Yoongi was starting to feel hungry.

"What the fuck do you want!" The creatures flinched from their place in the cage, some hidden instinct making them fear for their rotting bodies. "Damn... I was getting hungry. Good thing you shits never shut up."

There was a good number of infected in the cage but they all pushed themselves back against the back wall, low groans, and grumbles. "I'm going to eat half of you since you made me angry." Yoongi smiled, his canines weren't normal, they were sharp, the bottom ones too. The teeth in front of those were sharp too, once upon a time, people thought his teeth were cute. Sometimes Yoongi thought about what they would say if they saw them now.

Opening the cage Yoongi took off his white coat and hung on the door handle, taking his loose shirt off, hating it if it were to get dirty. He wasn't muscled up, but he wasn't all skin and bone either. Cracking his neck he stepped forward, "I'm gonna eat you to the bone." 

* * *

"What the fuck are we doing here?" Seokjin was walking behind with Jimin, the shorter man was carrying a backpack, "I thought I said we should never be around here!" He was pulling at his hoodie, boots heavy as they traded through ruble.

Namjoon sighed, "I've heard from some people at the camp that there's someone here who gives food to the people passing by." He looked tired as he turned to look back, they all did, "so I decided, why not give it a shot!?" He slung his shotgun over his shoulder.

"What are you so worked up for anyways hyung?" Jeongguk, who was walking beside Namjoon turned around with an easy smile on his face. The total opposite of the bloody bat he was swinging. "It's not that you're feeling scared, right?—are you actually?" He was having way too much fun teasing his oldest hyung.

"Jeongguk," Hoseok, who was a little way in front of Seokjin called out to their youngest, a serious face as he clicked the safety off of the Glock and handed it over to Seokjin who took it with ease. "We used to live around here."

Taehyung who was silent up until now hummed, his hunting bow nestled into his arm as he walked, "did you guys lose someone here?" His voice was low and meant no harm but both Seokjin and Hoseok tensed.

They could say that and were about to before the doors of the building they were headed towards busted open, everyone pointed a weapon or got in a stance ready to fight. Blacked out windows, messy and mossy walls, the doors looked like they were bolted up. It was an apartment complex, with cars in a line like a barricade except for an opening, maybe allowing two people at a time.

"Yah!" The shout was loud and annoyed, it came from the open door, the inside was dark. "I thought I told you guys to never come back!" It was too dark to tell what they looked like but it was definitely a man. Seokjin and Hoseok lowered their weapons, sighing.

"Yeah, well sorry about that," they walked their way through the younger men, passed the barricade of cars, "but we just couldn't let them come alone!" Hoseok shrugged his shoulders and crossed his arms, smiling at the mystery man.

Seokjin huffed, "you should be happy we're here! We kept telling you—if you keep helping people word will start spreading!" The eldest shook his finger at the man still inside, hip popped out in the way it did when he scolded one of them.

"Sorry, sorry," the man started to walk towards them, the younger men gripped their weapons a little tighter. If this was someone their hyung's knew then they were bound to be weird, really weird. "But I just couldn't let them starve, now could I?"

It was definitely a man, his hair was black and shaggy, ears priced but no earring in the holes. He was in black washed out ripped jeans and had only a lab coat on but that wasn't what caught their attention. It was the mess on the man. His skin was light, pale, almost white. His eyes irritated to a point where the red seemed like it could be wiped off and his chest was drenched in a dark green-red-like liquid. Infected blood. It was on his chin and parts of his face but not his hands. There was a smile that curled around his lips but even his teeth were unsettling.

"Hyung, what the fuck is that!" Jeongguk wasn't necessarily calling Seokjin or Hoseok but either of them worked. He was scared.

The man looked behind the two men to stare at Jeongguk, "I thought you said he was a sweet boy?" He was teasing, his deep voice went up in pitch, Hoseok turned to click his tongue at Jeongguk.

"He is, just that you scared him is all." Turning back to face the man, "I mean, look at you, Yoongi hyung. We must've interrupted your meal," he was talking to Yoongi like he didn't have the most disgusting thing in the world smeared all over him. 

Seokjin shook his head, "do you really have to be so messy, thought your father taught you manners," he clicked his tongue, "god, such a fucking slob."

Yoongi rolled his eyes, "just come in." And with that, he walked back into the apartment complex. Leaving the door open as if they would walk in, and they did! At least Seokjin and Hosek did, looking back at the rest when they didn't follow.

"What the fuck is that hyung?!" Namjoon whispered as the doors closed behind them and they saw that the place was actually really well lit and clean. Like before the apocalypse clean.

Seokjin raised an eyebrow at him and hit him with the butt of his gun on his ribs, "don't call him a 'what'!" He had his eyebrows furrowed and looked mad, "he's a fucking person so be considerate. Shit, the least we could do is keep our fucking manners." He looked behind Namjoon and saw that they still had their weapons out and ready. "And for fuck's sake put your shit down!" He swatted their weapons down, like a parent would a child to their toys.

"He's our friend, the reason why we don't get infected when we get bit, the reason why we don't age. Why we're basically immortal. He's also the reason why there are hardly any infected in the area." Hoseok walked to the lobby where a few chairs and couches were set out. "We've known him since way before this crap-fest went down." Shrugging he sat down.

Taehyung looked at both of them with a hard gaze before also sitting down at one of the chairs, setting his bow down on the table next to him. "And you trust him?" Jimin put his own gun away, he looked worried as he stood next to Namjoon and Jeongguk.

Seokjin nodded, moving to where Hoseok had settled, "with my life."

"Awe, hyung, that's so sweet." They all turned to be met with Yoongi, he was wearing a shirt now, loose on his frame, a pair of sweat pants, and some slippers. His hair was wet but at least he was clean. "Are they going to try an' shoot me?" He pointed at Jimin, Jeongguk, and Namjoon.

Hoseok shook his head, "if they do you can eat them." The three of them whipped their heads to look at their hyung, eyes wide with panic. Yoongi just laughed.

"Ew, no thank you. They look like they haven't showered in days, you all do." He turned his dark eyes to look at them all, "how about you guys have a shower, there are enough bathrooms here to help all of you. Just walk into a room."

Jimin glared hard at him, "and why would we do that?" There was a small snarl on his face.

Yoongi smirked, "because, kid, really. You aren't on my menu." he turned around and walked back down where he came from, "I'm sure you all brought extra clothes, once you're done come down to the basement—and bring all of you're dirty clothes with you."

With that, he was gone, Seokjin and Hoseok groaned as they stood up, "you heard the man, let's go." Hoseok ushered them all up a set of stairs while Seokjin walked in front of them.

"Do you think he'll try something?" Jimin was folding all of his dirty clothes next to Jeongguk who was cleaning his gun, "I mean, Namjoon hyung could probably blow his brains out—but still." Jeongguk shrugged.

He set his gun down with a click, "Seokjin and Hoseok hyung seem to be really close with him, I really doubt they would put us in any danger." The youngest much preferred close combat since he used his bat but guns were better in the sense of a lot less injury.

Taehyung clicked his tongue, "we should stop talking about it, our hyung's said we can trust him. I don't see why you two are still doubting them." He was sitting on a chair next to the door leading down. He didn't seem to have a weapon on him.

Seokjin, Namjoon, and Hoseok walked in at that moment. The two eldest had clothes none of them had ever seen them wear, nice clothes, expensive clothes. Stuff you could see in old catalog books spread on the ground, they looked normal. Seokjin even had some earrings on and looked like he was glowing.

"Can't believe we left Yoongi alone to all this luxury, should've stayed back with him," the eldest stretched and groaned as he walked over to a washer and dumped his clothes in it, taking the clothes Hoseok handed over to him when he walked over. "What are you guys doing? Hand over your clothes," the rest of them followed, they don't remember using washing machines, it's been so long.

Hoseok shuffled to a utility closet, pulling out a bag and a bottle, _Tide_ , and _Downey_ written on the bags in bright colors. "God I haven't used actual washing detergent in for fucking ever—what? Ten years?" He laughed, they had found out that the two eldest weren't normal on a supply runs when they were both bitten, and just when Namjoon was going to put them right out of their incoming misery, their bites healed.

It came as a shock to all of them, finding out that they kept the same age as when it all began. In body, they were twenty-seven and twenty-five rather than the thirty-nine and seven they should've been. They never asked about it, would've been too much to handle, still is.

"Hoseok, it's just soap. Nothing to go crazy over." The same voice as before came from another dark corridor, deep and gravely. Yoongi had a white coat on as well as a mask over his mouth and nose, "hm, I see you still remember how to start the wash. Good," he lifted one of his gloved hands, the one not holding a decaying arm to pull the mask down, a sharp tooth smile pointed towards Seokjin.

Namjoon, who was standing by the entrance pointed at the hand in Yoongi's hold, "what the fuck is that?" There was a hint of disgust in his voice. Yoongi turned to him, a hum in his throat.

"Oh? Her?" He lifted the hand up, "she was lunch but—there was something about her skin that seemed different so I saved a sample." He sounded so normal, held the hand as if it wasn't part of an infected.

Seokjin raised an eyebrow as he leaned against the washing machine, crossing his arms, "different? Like they evolved, different?"

Yoongi tilted his head, sucking in air through his teeth, "yeah, I don't really know. You see this infected isn't from around here, She's from the colder parts of the country. Maybe not even from Korea. Her skin's in a lot better condition than the others. Skin... the body in a better condition, it might just be the environment, it helps a lot." He showed the skin, and sure enough, it didn't have holes or looked as rotten as the infected in the area. "Like a meat freezer."

Hoseok nodded, "so what? We shove a bunch of infected in water and just let it decompose and break the cells?" He looked serious.

"I mean, can you section off a part of the ocean and shove every infect in there? Bodies dissolve a lot quicker in saltwater anyways," Yoongi shrugged and tossed the arm at Hoseok who took it and started inspecting it.

Jimin shuddered, "that's so gross," he was looking over Hoseok's shoulder, "how can you just hold it like that? Even he's wearing gloves," Jimin pointed his head towards Yoongi who just laughed.

"Dude, I eat them. It's the mess I don't really like," he walked over to Seokjin, talking his gloves off and shoving them in a pocket of his coat, "and who said you could wear my earrings?"

Seokjin scoffed, smacking the hand that Yoongi reached for his ears away, "I did. You weren't wearing them, so I put them on. Missed it." Yoongi looked at him, nodding before he turned around and took the hand from Hoseok. He said nothing but his two friends followed him, the young ones had no other option but to follow.

"Are you sure we have to be here?" Namjoon stayed close to Hoseok, "I mean—we can always just stay back at the lobby?" Jeongguk wanted nothing more than to agree, the corridor was dark and cold.

Hoseok sighed, "it'll be worth it, promise." He smiled at the younger man, even though he knew the other couldn't see it.

Soon they heard the hissing of a door sliding open and bright light from the room that had opened, "don't touch anything. If you do, you give me the right to hit you!" Yoongi yelled as he walked into the room, it was directed at the newcomers. They knew this because Hoseok and Seokjin put on coats as soon as they stepped in.

Taehyng was the only one who didn't put on a fuss, his eyes locked on Yoongi and his pretty skin, his teeth sending a shiver down his spine. A shiver that he welcomed with open arms. He looked so pretty when he walked out earlier. Made Taehyung's hands twitch with the want to touch and hold the probably older man.

Jimin stood next to him as they leaned against the wall next to where the coat rack was, "I can't believe you want to fuck that," he was whispering but even the hushed words were harsh.

"It's not a ' _that_ ' he's a person, just like us." Taehyung wasn't even looking at Jimin, eyes trained on Yoongi, "you're better than that Jiminie."

The shorter man snorted, an aggressive sound, "oh, am I now?" Taehyung turned to look at him, "yeah I think I am because I'm not the one eating fucking infected and acting like he's not living like a king." He looked mad.

Taehyung was confused, "are you mad because of his living conditions?" They had been together for years, since way before this went down, have been friends since they were babies. "I don't think everything is as good as it looks, I mean, come on. He eats what eats us. There must've been a price to pay for that." They were whispering but Jeongguk, who wasn't even five feet away turned back to look at them, worried.

"Even as you admit it! I bet you still want to fuck him! Taehyung, come on!" Jimin was still whispering but his voice was getting desperate, "he's a fucking monster, he's selfish and probably doesn't know just how in a shit place the world is in because he lives like this!" He turned to face Taehyung. "God, Taehyung—he could hurt you." It was soft and pained.

Jeongguk had scooted back so that he was closer to both of them, "you think I don't know that?" Taehyung's own words were getting aggressive, "I know you think I'm an idiot but I'm really not!" He was talking louder, Namjoon noticed and turned away from the older men who were too concentrated to even hear the people arguing.

Jimin's gaze softened, "no, not at all. I don't think you're stupid. I just don't want you messing with that—" he was cut off with Taehyung's groan.

"And I wasn't... I wasn't going to 'mess' with him," he made a quotation motion while talking. "Don't talk about him like he's a thing. And stop treating me like a child! Because I'm not!" Some old wound must've resurfaced because Taehyung's face was pinched with anger. Jeongguk stepped in, standing in between them and pushing his arms against their chests, they had been inching closer to each other. 

Everyone was looking at them, eyes wide and mouths open, Taehyung's words and unexpected yell in the lab. The man was huffing, eyes fuming as he made a move to walk out of the lab. It was quiet for a while before Jimin's eyes flashed over to Yoongi with a glare, his mouth set in a snarl as Jeongguk kept him back, though he didn't really want to.

"What the fuck are you even!?" He sounded disturbed as he yelled at the man in goggles and coat, "tell me! What type of fucked up shit have you done?! To how many innocent people have you done this too?! Huh?! What fucked up monster are you?!" Jimin's eyes were wild, he was furious. And hurting.

Yoongi took his goggles off, sliding the coat over to Hoseok who looked a little nervous but took it anyway. "I didn't. Hurt. Anyone." And in a flash, he had pushed Jeongguk out of the way and was pressing Jimin against the wall, hand to his throat. Even though they were the same height, Jimin was a few inches off the ground as Yoongi was holding him up. "Don't assume shit like that." His eyes were darker and his voice cold, mouth set in a snarl that made his teeth that much scarier, like a rabid dog. "How many children have you killed? Smashed their heads in? Why? Because you need to live right? Shut the fuck up. I eat the infected. Eating you would be a waste of my stomach acids." Jimin was scratching at Yoongi's arm, but every scratch would heal almost instantly.

Letting go Yoongi stepped away, and Jimin dropped to the ground, left to heave in air as Jeongguk ran to his side. Gun pointed at Yoongi as he brought Jimin to his feet, eyes wary. Namjoon walked towards them, his own handgun pointed at the pale man, "Seokjin hyung! You said we could trust him!" He flicked his eyes over to Seokjin who sighed and walked over.

"You can," he pulled Namjoon's gun down, "if someone called you a monster for doing what you need to survive wouldn't you be mad too?" He wasn't staring at Yoongi but instead at Namjoon who looked reluctant as he relaxed his arms. "You're right, we should've never brought them here," this time he turned to Yoongi who was still staring at Jimin, "we should've stopped them at all costs."

Hoseok walked over, "sorry hyung." He nodded at Yoongi, ignoring Jimin's look of betrayal, "just let them stay, they don't know what they're talking about." He was pleading to his hyung, it made Jeongguk's chest tight with guilt as he saw him do so.

Yoongi turned around, "never told any of you to leave." He sounded indifferent, "just keep your mouth shut, you'll scare them." He walked over to a door and just when Jeongguk was about to ask who, he opened it and out came pouring a small group of children. Swarming around Yoongi like a bunch of puppies.

There were five small boys. Taehyung had walked in right at the moment and stared at the group of kids with large eyes, Yoongi laughed as he petted the heads of all the kids. He looked so soft as he talked to them. "Did the yelling wake you all up?" Seokjin and Hoseok stared in awe at them. "Come, you must be hungry. Wait—put on your slippers first." The kids rushed back into the room, a few of them were dragged along by some other kids.

From what they could see it was covered in a soft-looking carpet, wide with five matrasses laid out with nice looking blankets. There were toys here and there but it didn't look messy. The walls were bright with colors and drawings. A few whites boards with words they couldn't read. It looked like a normal classroom, kids play area.

Seokjin brought a hand to his mouth, "Y... Yoongi, you did it!" His voice sounded watery. "You reverted the virus!" He sounded happy as he clung to Hoseok who looked like he was about to cry. Everyone else was still confused. _Children? Why were there kids here?_

Yoongi nodded as he did a headcount, "yeah, I could only manage it on small children. At first, I thought it was a bad idea but—as the weeks went on I could see that the decay was starting to revert back." He looked at Seokjin as he walked by, followed by small maybe five/four-year-olds. "Not like me but still not fully human either, sadly." 

* * *

"Kids! Kids!" Yoongi stopped as he took a deep breath, "boys!" he wasn't yelling but there was authority in Yoongi's voice, "stop running around and sit down so you can eat. Hurry." The five boys immediately stopped and sat down at a big dining table. Waiting to be served their food.

Everyone watched in awe as Yoongi poured different types of food in five small plates and delivered them to the boys, setting down glasses of water and appetizers. As soon as he finished the boys dug in, three of them still using training chopsticks.

"Choi Yeonjun is the oldest, he's seven," Yoongi came to stand next to everyone else who just stared in awe at the small children, "then its Choi Soobin at six. Choi Beomgyu at five. Kang Taehyun and Kai Kamal Huenging are both four, we call him Huenign Kai." Seokjin nodded a little numbly at the information. "They're from a daycare two streets away, the one we used to work at when we were younger, remember?" Hoseok looked at Yoongi with glassy eyes, "they don't remember much about anything, just their names and phone numbers for when they get lost. The crazy thing, they think I'm their—"

"Daddy!" Soobin called over to them, his eyes trained on Yoongi, "can I have more?" His voice was soft as he held his plate up. "Please?"

Yoongi smiled, his teeth didn't seem to alert the child in the slightest. "Aren't you hungry," he teased the boy as he took the plate and moved to serve him more, "it's usually your hyung who's always asking for more." He put the plate down, Soobin digging in as fast as he could.

Yeonjun lifted his head, cheeks stuffed, "is cause 'm not done 'et." He kept chewing as he reached for his glass of water.

Jimin was so in love with all of them, they were so cute. In their clean and hole-free clothes, so marveled by them all. And to think that the monster was taking care of them, "do they know?" Jimin's eyes were cold as he looked at Yoongi, he heard how Hoseok and Taehyung sighed. Yoongi turned to him.

"Yeah, they do." He walked over to the cupboard and pulled down six bigger plates, pouring food into them, "they handled it a lot better than you did." He set them down on the table, one seat between them and the children on both sides. "Now eat." None of them had an option; the little kids were looking at them with wide, expectant eyes and the food smelled really good.

Seokjin and Hoseok dug in almost immediately, they remembered how good Yoongi's food was and almost moaned when the food fell on their lips, it tasted like heaven. Jeongguk and Taehyung took a spoonful in their mouths while they watched their hyung's eat, and kept going while Yoongi set a glass of water next to them, looking up at the man for a split second. Namjoon and Jimin were last with attentive bite, slow and worried, they kept their composure as they too ate like it was their very last meal.

Yoongi got busy as he walked around the kids, whipping at messy puffy cheeks that kept chewing. They looked adorable as they sat diligently, letting their caretaker clean them up, Huening Kai and Taehyun were the only ones still wearing something to keep their shirts clean. Sliding it off as Heuning Kai finished and reached for his glass of water, chugging down water like a desperate man.

"Daddy!" Beomgyu jumped in his chair, "can we go play outside?" He reached for Taehyun's hand who was trying to fold his napkin, "pretty please? We won't get dirty," he pouted at the man who was collecting their dishes.

Yoongi nodded, "you can go," and just like that all five of them bolted out of their chairs, "Yeonjun, Soobin, take care of your brothers!" Yoongi waited for the far away 'okay!' before he continued cleaning up.

"Why only those kids?" Taehyung spoke as he whipped his mouth with a napkin, "why only them?" Jimin was looking at him but Taehyung didn't even turn towards the other man.

The clattering of plates and the splashing of water reminded them of way easier times, "well, they were the only kids I found in the daycare." He scrubbed at the plates and put them in the other sink, "when I got to the daycare there were three females infected and two males, their legs were in bad condition. They kept themselves in a circle around the children—unmoving and just sitting there. It wasn't the coldest or warmest inside" He picked up the soapy dishes and rinsed them. "I took the infected out and rounded up the children, they stopped fitting and biting me when they noticed nothing was happening." Yoongi turned around, "brought them here, injected them with a pathogen I had brewed up. I gave it to them in small increments."

"Then there's a vaccine? A cure for all of this!" He looked happy, smiled bright but it fell when he saw the expression on Yoongi's face.

"No," Yoongi dried his hands on a kitchen rag, "all I managed was a pathogen that reverted the effects. A vaccine would require samples of all the vaccines of the viruses used to make the main one, some of the viruses used don't even have vaccines. I've been trying to find them but—I can't. The kids still need to get shots, every month does it."

Hoseok dropped his spoon in his bowl, a loud clang broke out, "so there's nothing we can do?" He looked at Yoongi with desperate eyes, black endless eyes stared back.

"I mean, I can always make more of the current pathogen, you can round up all the people you want to be turned back—if they're still whole and 'alive' that is," Yoongi tossed the kitchen rag onto the counter. "Other than that, you can stay here until you feel like going back." He walked towards where the kids ran out of earlier, "you can get more if you want, wash your dishes, the TV's work. You can put movies on."

Silence ruled over the room, left them eating like that. They all stopped after various servings of all the food Yoongi made, "we should take the kids with us." Jimin spoke to his empty plate.

"That's so fucking stupid," Taehyung was glaring at Jimin, they still hadn't made up, and it looked like they weren't going to anytime soon, "why would you say something so fucking absurd?"

Jimin whipped his head up towards Taehyung, he was glaring back at his best friend, "because they're in this fucking place with that thing!" His voice was above a whisper but harsh.

Taehyung was getting mad fast, "so what? Should we take these kids from this save heaven just because **you're** scared of the person taking care of them? I don't know if you've fucking noticed, Jimin, but they're happy!" He was pointing at the door the kids and Yoongi had walked out of, "when was the last time you saw children that happy? That fucking healthy and safe? God, you sound so goddam crazy!"

"Wa... what? Are we just supposed to leave them with that... that—I'm not fucking scared! He's dangerous!" Jimin face was flushed with shame, he could kill Yoongi if he wanted.

"Taehyung's right," Seokjin, who was sitting next to Jimin, pushed the man back, he had leaned forward. "They're a lot safer here—and with Yoongi," he leaned into Jimin, "than with us at the camp."

Hoseok nodded, "Yoongi can take care of them. He's the only person who has solid defenses against the hoards." He turned to Jimin with desperation on his face, "for fuck's sake Jimin, he eats infected! Infected!"

Jimin bit his lip, eyes flashing to Namjoon and Jeongguk, they had to agree with him. Had to, he knew he lost when Namjoon shrugged, "they have a point, Yoongi may be scary to us but to them, he's their father. They trust him. We can't rip them from their dad." Jimin turned to face Jeongguk who was across from him.

"We can't take them," he looked like he was in pain for agreeing. "They're so happy, they look well-fed, well taken care of."

An agonized groan fell from Jimin's lips as he fell back onto his chair. That's when he saw Soobin at the door, eyes wide as he stared at the strangers and Jimin felt a smile stretch his lips, trying to assure the kid. "Hello, what's wrong?"

Soobin gulped as walked forward, hands fisted at his side, "I came for a water bottle... am I bother you?" His speech was polite as he looked around at all the new faces, he felt intimidated.

Jimin shook his head, "not at all—" just as Soobin made a move towards one of the low cabinets by the big fridge Jimin reached a hand for him, "actually, Soobin, can I ask you something?" Taehyung and Seokjin shared a worried glance.

The child stopped in his tracks, "yes, do you need something?" His lips were turned down in a pouting way.

"Do... are you scared of your dad?" Hoseok almost hit Jimin with his spoon but kept his eyes on Soobin's face which contorted to a mask of confusion.

He shook his head, "I'm not scared of daddy, he lets us sleep in his bed and... um, whenever the monsters are too loud he goes and eats them." Soobin smiled, "daddy isn't scary, he keeps us safe."

Jimin's breathe stuttered, "aren't... aren't you scared of him eating you?" Seokjin's hand came to grip Jimin's arm. Tight.

Soobin shook his head again, "no. That's weird. Daddy only eats the monsters. He says that if people find out then they'll be scared and want to take us away." He moved his hands to grab the front of his shirt. "Are you going to take us away? Are... are you scared?"

"Jimin!" Taehyung sprung up from his seat, "I'm sorry about my friend," He smiled at Soobin who got startled at the sound of his chair scraping against the floor. "He doesn't know what he's talking about, we wouldn't take you away from your dad." Soobin nodded and jogged to the cabinet, taking two water bottles and jogging back out, smiling at Taehyung on the way out.

"What the fuck was up with that Jimin?" Jeongguk looked at Jimin like he was crazy, "why would you ask that to a little kid?"

No one said anything, not after Jeongguk's tone of voice. Seokjin and Namjoon made their silent way to the kitchen sink, picking up plates and glasses along the way, "I still want to fuck him." Taehyung's voice was low and raw. Jimin looked at him with wide eyes.

Hoseok broke out in laughter, "maybe you can, but, first try talking to him." There was an amused smile on his face. 

* * *

"Who do think is the hottest out of the young ones?" Seokjin was laying down next to Yoongi, the kids were playing in the living room. Giggles came floating from there every once in a while, Seokjin didn't say anything about how the bed was much too big for Yoongi alone.

Yoongi scrunched his nose, "why are you asking? Does it matter?"

Hoseok sauntered out of the bathroom, "of course it does, hyung! Because then we can hook you up." There was a sharp grin on his face as he patted it dry.

"Please, who would want to sleep with... with something like me?" He sounded nonchalant but Seokjin and Hoseok knew him better than that.

Hoseok sat on the other side of Yoongi, a soft look in his eyes that he exchanged with Seokjin, "I mean, we do think you're too good for one-nightstands but we also know that it must be tough being alone for so long." Just when Yoongi was going to say something Seokjin interrupted.

"Yes, you have the kids but—they absolutely can not give you the release an adult can." Seokjin sat up so he was perched beside Yoongi, a hand on the younger man's bare thigh, he was wearing shorts. Skin cold.

Yoongi snorted, "so what? You're going to throw one of your new friends into the arena and see if they win?" Pulling the sleeves of his hoodie over his hands he wrapped his arms around his body.

"Well, if you like them then for sure they'll win, hmm?" Hoseok had his head tilted like a puppy asking for a treat and for a second Yoongi was reminded of his pet, Holly, his little brown poodle. He hadn't survived the first day everything spiraled into hell.

"I mean, yeah but—" Yoongi's cheeks were starting to heat up, he hunched his shoulders and pulled his hoodie up to his mouth, "Taehyung? Yeah, he... um, well he seems nice?"

"Nice? Like?" Seokjin raised an eyebrow at him, a cheeky grin beginning to grow on his face.

Yoongi felt flustered, "he stood up for me, treats me like I'm a normal human. Doesn't seem to hate me." He shrugged, "he just—I think he's neat is all."

Hoseok was ecstatic, "do you think he's hot? Like? Hot, hot, would bang hot?" He was gripping Yoongi's arm, tight but it didn't bother the other man.

"Shut up!" He was whining, "yeah! He's good looking, I mean he's really good looking, almost too good looking." The pink was high on Yoongi's face and even though his mood was falling, the pink didn't, "he wouldn't be into me." A defeated sigh left Yoongi's pink lips.

Seokjin's eyebrows furrowed as he glanced at Hoseok who wore much the same expression, "why would you say that, Yoongi?"

"Our first meeting was me covered in infected blood and then I slammed his maybe best friend against a fucking wall," he was glaring at the sheets in front of him, bringing his legs up so that he could rest his chin on his knees, arms around his shins. Pout on his lips.

Hoseok snorted, "he's a weird guy, I doubt that put him off, hyung." He brought his hand to Yoongi's head, messing the black hair up even more.

"Hoseokie's right, Taehyung is anything but ordinary. He likes seeing the good in everyone and, everyone includes you." Seokjin smiled at Yoongi, it was sad seeing his friend being insecure for so long.

Minutes ticked by as they kept talking, eventually, the kids barged into the room sleepily rubbing their eyes and calling for their dad as they pouted. Hoseok and Seokjin almost had a heart attack at how endearing it was, giggling as they helped them on the bed. Watching fondly as they crowded Yoongi, burrowing themselves under the comforter. Two at each side of Yoongi and Huening Kai right on top.

Turning the lights off as they walked out of the room. Giggling at each other some more as they walked to their apartments, the apartments they hadn't been to in so long. The same ones that hadn't changed a single once. There were still shoes scattered about and magazines on the living room table. Seokjin, who remembers leaving dishes in the drying rack found them all put away. As for Hoseok, his clothes were taken out of the dryer and were neatly folded in his drawers.

_Yoongi_. Their eyes were bleary with tears as they walked down their own hallways and opened the doors to their bedrooms. Everything was clean, it didn't smell like the place had been shut for years, the air was fresh, like the outside and clean. Yoongi must've cleaned. It didn't hit them when they had showered, too busy with getting all the grim off of them but now, everything was settling in. 

* * *

It was odd, flipping the light switch and having the lights actually turn on because back at base camp the generators were never on in the morning. Having been turned off during the night and being turned on around midday so that people could do the important stuff. So for Jimin and Namjoon, it felt weird as they sat in the kitchen, last night was the best sleep they've had in a really long time. They weren't cramped into one sleeping bag and were in an actual bed. They awoke to an actual restroom and running water.

Silence rang in the kitchen, neither of them spoke, they didn't have anything to talk about. It wasn't awkward, but it felt a little off as there weren't any echoing sounds, no dripping of water, buzzing of a lamp, no nothing. Except for the creak from the refrigerator and of their own chairs. The clock in the kitchen said it was 6:09 am.

"How long have you guys been awake for?" Jeongguk walked through the kitchen door, he was still rubbing sleep from his eyes and his voice was deep from it, "why the fuck are you guys up? Hyung's, go to sleep." He sat down next to Jimin and put his head on the table.

Jimin shrugged as he caught the younger's eyes from where his head was on his folded arms, "habit, Namjoon hyung too."

Namjoon clicked his tongue, "why are you up Gguk, you hate waking up early?" Jeongguk sat up, a sleepy pout on his lips as his face was cover in hair.

"Needed to go pee," with that he promptly dropped his head again, this time no arms to stop the impact from his forehead to the wooden table.

Namjoon hummed as the room was enraptured into silence again until stuffing and muffled words made their way to them. Soon enough Taehyung and Hoseok walked in, taking a seat next to Namjoon, Taehyung in front of Jimin. Only sparing a glance.

"Oh, almost all of us are awake, all we need is Seokjin and Yoongi hyung." Hoseok looked around the table as he sat down. Jimin pouted.

Crossing his arms he grumbled, "why would we need him?"

Hoseok raised his eyebrows, "because this is his place," he smiled at Jimin, "you should stop acting that way towards Yoongi hyung," making eye contact with the younger man, "he means well."

It took almost an hour for Seokjin to come down, by then Jeongguk was wide awake and whining about how hungry he was. With a smack to the back of Jeongguk's head, the eldest got everyone up and running around the kitchen, ordering everyone. Soon enough they had food cooked and ready to eat.

"Do you think the kids'll eat it?" Seokjin was worrying his bottom lip as he looked over the food, "what if they can't eat something? Or if they don't like any of it? God!" He brought his cold wet hands to his hair, "is it even good? I haven't cooked with so many things in forever."

"Hyung, don't worry about it," Taehyung walked over and patted Seokjin's back, "let's just wait and see."

Right after the pitter-patter of feet was heard coming to the door and sure enough in walked Yoongi and the kids. Huening Kai and Taehyun in his arms rubbing at their eyes, Beomgyu holding onto the bottom of Yoongi's shorts looking like he was still half asleep. Soobin, who looked the most awake out of the five kids, was holding Yeonjun's hand, who was nodding off.

"Hyungie, wake up. Time for breakfast!" Soobin pulled Yeonjun forward, "come one hyungie, dontcha wanna eat?" Yeonjun's eyes opened as he nodded, still sleepy.

Yoongi shook the two boys in his arms gently, "Hyuka, Taehyun, babies, come on, wake up." The man's voice was a soft rumble as he spoke to the two boys who blinked their eyes open, "that's it, let's put you two down." Yoongi walked to the table, not at all bothered with Beomgyu clinging to his shorts.

Taehyung was watching as the man sat the little kids down in chairs, air trapped in his throat. Yoongi looked so soft, eyes still puffy with sleep, his nose and cheeks a little pink and black long hair messy. It made Taehyung's chest fill with warmth so thick and sweet.

"Cookie, you too," Yoongi turned to pick Beomgyu up and set him on a chair. "There ya go, Soobin, Yeonjun." The other two boys stood next to him, waiting to be picked up and put in a chair. They were all small, too small for their age. Especially Yeonjun and Soobin.

All the while Yoongi was doing so he didn't bat an eye towards the rest of them, not until he walked over to the kitchen, where he paused when he saw all the food. Seokjin stood next to him.

"I just... ya'know, decided to make food for all of us," he kept scratching his head as he looked over all the food, Yoongi looked in the pots and pan, the fruit on the plates, and smiled, sweet even with the fangs.

"Thanks, hyung!" He pulled small plates and started to serve different variations for every plate, carrying them over to where the children were, pulling cups down and getting orange juice from the fridge, pouring and serving them to the kids.

Just as he finished everyone served their own plates and got to eating, the only person not eating was Yoongi. He stood back, watching the kids eat as a soft look rested on his face but was quick to move over to the sink which was full of dirty dishes and cooking utensils. Washing them before any of them could say anything.

Seeing how Yoongi wasn't eating Taehyung lost appetite, getting up from his chair he walked over to Yoongi, around the counter in between the sink and kitchen table. "You should eat too." He grabbed a drying towel and started to dry the clean dishes, Yoongi smiled.

"I don't think your friend would be okay with that," he was speaking softly as he rinsed the soap from the pan he was holding, Taehyung turned around to see Jimin looking at them, chewing his food slowly.

"Don't let him bother you," he turned back around so he was side by side with Yoongi, "this is your place after all," Taehyung too was speaking softly. "I'm Kim Taehyung by the way, I know my hyung's already introduced us... but I wanted to do it myself as well."

Yoongi nodded, face relaxed as he washed the utensils, "Min Yoongi, you should also know that, but I guess it does feel better introducing yourself."

Nothing was said between them as they kept washing and drying, "you're older than Hoseok hyung, right?" Yoongi hummed, "so can I call you Yoongi hyung?" Taehyung was looking down at the knife he was drying when Yoongi turned to face him.

"Yeah, sure you can, I don't mind." Yoongi was mumbling, but sue him! He was embarrassed! The only person who ever called him 'hyung' was Hoseok. "Also, I already ate." Yoongi smiled up at Taehyung, fangs looking a little too sharp.

"Daddy! We finished!" Soobin sat a little straighter in his chair, shying away when all eyes fell on him. "We are done," this time as he looked at his father with a blush high on his cheeks.

Yoongi smiled, walking over to pat Soobin's hair, "that's good, now." He spoke to all of them, "I want you to go brush your teeth again, and after we'll start classes. Go." He took Huening Kai and Taehyun out of their seats, watching as Yeonjun took both their hands.

"They have school?" Jeongguk was watching them go off, chopsticks near his mouth, he turned to Yoongi.

"Yeah, they do." The fanged man smiled at Jeongguk, the same way he smiled at the kids, "how old were you when everything happened?" He took the empty chair next to Jeongguk.

The young man swallowed, "I was ten." Yoongi hummed. Jeongguk's belly was doing weird things as he looked at Yoongi, he looked down at his plate.

"Do you wanna come too?"

Jeongguk snapped his head up to look at Yoongi, "what?" The word was small as it left his lips.

"I mean," Yoongi brought his hand up to play with his ear, "It's all stuff you should've learned but... maybe you might like it. A distraction." He wasn't looking at Jeongguk, "never mind it was dumb to ask—"

"I'll go!" Jeongguk practically screamed, "Um... I would like to go." He cleared his throat and looked over at Hoseok, a blush spreading over his cheeks.

Yoongi smiled again, Jeongguk caught sight of it, so did Taehyung. Something in Jeongguk told him that he should make the man smile more because; one, it made Taehyung happy and two, it meant he could see the cute grin. 

Soon enough all of them were in the children's room, sitting on chairs a few ways from where Yoongi was going over adding, Jeongguk sitting along with the kids, eyes wide and mouth open. The adding for the two youngest was too hard but Yoongi would go over the colors and shapes for them.

The more Jimin watched the more he felt bad for being so mean to Yoongi, "does—did Yoongi have any family?" He was feeling shy when everyone turned to look at him, Taehyung twitched a smile.

"Yeah, his dad," Seokjin crossed his legs, "he... he um, was one of the people who was involved in creating the virus." Namjoon, Jimin, and Taehyung turned to look at him, eyes wide with shock, "Yoongi hated him for it, didn't like talking to him, could talk about it. We were the only ones to know about it," Hoseok nodded.

"His mother died when he was 12, lost her to a drunk driver. After that his father wouldn't look at him, Yoongi hyung looked a lot like her," Hoseok kept going. "He would take his father's research and try to reverse it. He's been trying for years, he's managed the pathogen we were both injected with. It's not perfect. We age slower, which keeps us strong. Our bodies are more resistant, it would take at least three bites for us to turn."

Seokjin huffed, "two lives left," he leaned his head back, body looking heavy. He laughed, dry, and sarcastic.

Hoseok licked his lips before kept going, eyes flicking over to Yoongi, "The pathogen he injected himself with... it was brutal." His eyes glossed over, "it looked painful. His bones cracked and healed." He stopped, Seokjin lifted his head to look over at Yoongi, "his teeth, they all fell out, he was screaming so much." Hoseok gulped, he looked ready to cry, "there was so much blood and there was nothing we could do."

Tears were on the verge of his eyes as his lips trembled, Seokjin sighed, and reached over to pat his friend's shoulders. Seokjin took a deep breath, "everything happened so fast after that, it was **the** day. We were in the lab when Yoongi had sat up from where he passed out and ran out, he was so fast, tearing into zombies, eating, he didn't care, he was hungry... he saved us." Everyone stared at Yoongi, he was smiling and laughing with the kids.

Jimin felt bad, so, so bad.

"What happened to his—y'know, dad?" Namjoon shifted a little uncomfortably in his chair, turning to look at Seokjin.

The older man shrugged, "we don't know, bitten, eaten, killed himself? It doesn't matter," his eyes were still on Yoongi, "he sort of stopped caring about Yoongi after the car crash, so Yoongi stopped too."

Everyone just started at Yoongi, smiling when he laughed at Jeongguk for being so awkward. After a few more minutes Jeongguk came running to them, smile so wide and genuine. He sat down in front of them and started scribbling on the piece of paper, his smile would fall but soon come back. Jeongguk stood up abruptly, startling his hyung's before he went running to Yoongi, showing him his piece of paper. Yoongi smiled and pet his hair, having to reach up.

It was break time, so Yoongi took everyone to the roof, it was a big rooftop. A small patch of grass and a small playground awaited them, a small farm of vegetables with a fence around was also there. It was nice.

Jimin walked over to Yoongi who was looking over the kids plus Jeongguk and Taehyung. Clearing his throat he began, "I'm sorry... for being such an asshole." Yoongi turned to look at him, head cocked, "I understand if you hate me, all I ask is if you could give Taehyung a chance to impress you."

Yoongi stared for a few more seconds, making Jimin fidget, "it's alright man," He pets Jimin's head, "were you scared?"

"A little," Jimin felt cotton in his mouth.

Yoongi laughed, "don't be. I would never hurt someone as cute as you."

Just like that, the older man walked away, heading towards Soobin who was sitting at the swings, Jimin felt a blush spread over his face and the sharp end of a glare. Turning around he was met with Taehyung's sharp eyes on him. He was just standing there. Silently Jimin walked over, keeping in the sigh when Taehyung turned away.

"Taehyung, I went over to apologize, nothing else." The taller man turned back to face him and, working his jaw, "and I come here to say sorry to you." Jimin looked up at Taehyung, "sorry for being such a big jerk."

Taahyung smiled, "it's okay Jiminie—" he hugged Jimin, who hugged back, "shit," it was whispered next to Jimin's ear.

"What? What's wrong?" Jimin was holding Taehyung's forearms, he turned to where Taehyug was staring, seeing Yoongi turn his head. "Oh, oooh, oh. Go." Jimin let go of Taehyung's arms, his friend looked at him like he had gone insane, "go before I drag you over there myself." Taehyung licked his lips and jogged over to Yoongi.

Licking his lips again Taehyung stood next to Yoongi, they were so dry out of a sudden. "Hey," his voice was rough and for a second Taehyung thought about jumping off the roof because by god that was cringy.

Yoongi laughed, "hello," he turned to look up at Taehyung, "why'd you run over here? Jimin not want to hug anymore?" There was something about the way he said that that made Taehyung feel—some kind of way.

"No," Taehyung trailed off as he saw Jeongguk and Jimin sending him thumbs-ups and a hip thrust from Jeongguk that earned him a punch from Jimin, "I just wanted to talk to you," He turned to smile at Yoongi, who was looking at him with a raised eyebrow, "and he also pushed me away." Yoongi grinned, "so that I could come talk to you." His grin fell.

"Why?" He was pouting.

"Well, because I wanted to talk to you," Taehyung crossed his arms, they were back where Jimin had apologized to Yoongi, back at the wall. "And because I wanted to get to know you," he leaned against the wall, Yoongi gave him a look, "on a personal level."

Another laugh from Yoongi, "like what? A date?" He wanted to sound sarcastic, pull off a joke but the blush on his cheeks betrayed him.

"Yeah, exactly like a date." Taehyung looked down at Yoongi, thriving on the blush on the pale skin of his face.

Yoongi stuttered, patting his belly as he turned to face Taheyung, "I... I... well, I haven't been on a date in a long time." He furrowed his eyebrows to look up at Taehyung.

"Hmm, I've never been on a date." He thought for a second, "unless you count taking a girl to a PC room to finish a school project a date?" Yoongi looked at him, his mouth open, "I don't think it counts."

Yoongi shook his head, cheeks still pink.

"Y'know, you're very cute when you blush." Taehyung tapped Yoongi's nose, who closed his eyes out of shock, leaving them wide and open and looking up at Taehyung.

All that Yoongi could do was a snarl, revealing his sharp teeth. Taehyung gave an airy chuckle. "Kitty wants a toy to play with?"

Yoongi closed his mouth and the blush on his face darkened, Taehyung laughed.

Moving his mouth to say something Yoongi was interrupted by a groan, it was loud and deep and it made the kids turn their heads to face Yoongi. Eyes wide. Yoongi was bent over on the floor.

"Daddy?" Soobin who was the closest approach, "do you need help?" Another groan from Yoongi, this time louder, "daddy!" A little more frantic. The rest of the boys came to join Soobin.

Getting up from his knees Yoongi smiled, pained and closed-lipped, red with blood. "No, I'm alri—" he was cut off by a cough, teeth landing on the ground. "Shit, Taehyung, help me up." Yoongi lifted his hand, Taheyung took it and pulled Yoongi straight up.

The other grown-ups got closer, Hoseok and Seokjin looking beyond worried, scared with pale faces, "it still happens?" Hoseok's voice was shaky.

Namjoon was stopping the children from getting too close to their dad, too much blood falling from his nose and mouth, "Yeah," more teeth to the ground, "fuck, that'll be a bitch to clean up lat—aaAAH!" Yoongi's back arched, way too deeply for it to be normal.

"Yoongi!" Taehyung went down to his knees next to Yoongi, his hand on his shoulder, "holy fuck! What... what do I... what can I do?" He was panicking.

Yoongi huffed as his spine crunched and squished back into shape, a little longer, and hunched, "get me to the stairs." Taehyung nodded as he lifted Yoongi to the stairs, slinging the shorter man's arm over his shoulder. The little kids were about to cry, "now, now boys. No need to cry, you know daddy'll be okay." Yeonjun sniffled and grabbed Soobin's hand, who grabbed Taehyun's who was already holding onto Beomgyu. He then grabbed Heuning Kai's hand.

By the time they got to the stairs Yoongi was sweating and panting, "okay, what now hyung?" Jeongguk and Jimin were standing beside the kids.

Turning back Yoongi gave the kids a smile and a look to the adults, ' _don't let them see'_. Jeongguk and Jimin moved to stand in front of them, smiling sweetly. "Throw me over." Taehyung stopped breathing.

The apartment complex was at least six story's high if you don't count the extra set to the roof, Making it seven. Everyone gasped, the little kids wanted to see their dad but Jimin and Jeongguk stopped them, they wanted to turn around too.

"What? Are you insane? I'm not going to fucking throw you down seven fleets of stairs!" The stairs spiraled in a square, the space in the middle a decent size. Another groan fell from Yoongi's lips.

"Going down them will take too long," a scream tore itself from Yoongi's mouth, "do it Taehyung! Throw me off—" Taehyung shut his eyes and threw him off. The kids cried out and Seokjin reached out, missing Yoongi and grabbing Taheyung instead.

Everyone rushed to lean over, Jeongguk and Jimin keeping the kids from seeing.

At the bottom Yoongi's body was contorted, arms and legs bent at awkward and painful angles. Blood was splattered everywhere. He was looking up at them when his limbs began to snap back into place, the crunch and snaps echoed.

With his arms and legs back in their place everyone saw that they were longer, his nails sharper. Neck longer, Yoongi's eyes were white in the pupil and black all around. He snarled and his teeth were sharp, all of them. The two that had always been sharp were longer and slightly curved, his mouth unhinged and he screeched and scampered away. On all fours.

* * *

It's night, the kids were passed out on top of each other on Yoongi's bed, everyone else was sitting in the living room. They had struggled to get the boys to eat anything, Seokjin had to remind them that their dad would want them to eat. Now they were waiting for Yoongi to get back.

Some of them were dozing off when the door was slammed open. In stumbled Yoongi, his clothes tore and dirty, he was panting and looked exhausted. Taehyung was already standing by his side, a kiss to the top of his sweaty head that Yoongi whined at.

"You need a shower..." Taehyung was walking him to his bathroom, getting help from Seokjin. "What happened?" The tall man's voice was low.

Yoongi huffed what sounded like a laugh, "my body... it... it got too much adrenaline." He grunted when Seokjin pushed a little hard, 'sorry' fell from his lips softly. "I thought it was time to hunt... the batch I had wasn't enough. I had to find some." Yoongi licked his lips, "while I was out I got enough to fill both my cages." Pulling away from the two men Yoongi leaned on to the frame of the bathroom door. "I'm plenty full." He smiled as he closed the door.

Hoseok, who had followed them, along with everyone else sighed and walked past them, going into Yoongi's room and coming back with a pile of clothes. Waiting for the shower to start and then some before he went into the bathroom to leave the clothes in there for Yoongi.

An hour had passed by, Taehyung was worried as he kept standing next to the door, no one had the heart to tell him to sit down, he had thrown Yoongi down. It must have been too long a wait because Taehyung was already in the bathroom before they could stop them, lock clicking.

"What?" Yoongi's voice was rough; he sounded so very tired. "'m done, don' worry." He turned the shower off, "hyung?" Taehyung didn't answer, "Hoseokie?" No answer, "...Taehyungie?"

Taehyung walked to where the shower curtain was pulled to cover the bathtub. "Yoongi," his own voice was rough, quieter than Yoongi's. "I'll turn around so you can get dressed." Taehyung walked back and turned to face the door. He hears Yoongi pull the curtain, pick up his towel, and dry himself. Hears and smells the lotion bottle uncap and being applied, smells so nice.

"There," Yoongi was being hugged and shoved into a strong chest before he gets a chance to blink, he feels impressed but so safe, Taehyung squeezes as he drops to the ground. Bring Yoongi with him.

Heavy breathing seems to echo in the room as Taehyung buries his face into Yoongi's shoulder, "why? why'd you make me do that?" Taehyung sounds so heartbroken. It breaks Yoongi's own.

Yoongi could do nothing but bring his arms up and pet Taehyung's hair, he turns his head and kisses the side of his head just as gently as he did his. Something wet lands on the skin of the side of his neck, the fabric of his collar stretched from where Taehyung buried his face in.

"I'm sorry, oh darling I'm so sorry." Taehyung's shaking and Yoongi feel water drip down his own face.

When they get out Seokjin and Jimin were standing there, waiting for them, their arms crossed and looking worried. Taehyung was behind Yoongi, his hand holding onto the fabric of his shirt a little too tightly. Their eyes were red, red-rimmed, their noses were pink and so were Yoongi his cheeks. What a jarring and common color when in anguish.

Nothing was said as they took both men to Yoongi's bedroom, moving the children around so both of them could lay down. It had been a very long day.

"I... I don't think this— you guys stay, I'll go." Yoongi was standing in front of Taehyung, Jimin, and Hoseok. He was fidgeting and looking nervous, "come one, just stay here." None of them were listening to him so he took to pulling at Taehyung's shirt.

They sighed, "hyung, we know that you're a little more durable than us but— that doesn't mean we can't handle ourselves." Yoongi wanted to tell him that 'a little' is putting it very lightly. "You need to calm down, the kids are still a little shaken." Taehyung was smiling at him, his hand at the side of his arms, squeezing. Yoongi felt a little bit better. 

"But—" Jimin looked at him with a small smile, they couldn't go... he had to but... they're different. Yoongi sighed as he rubbed his forehead, "the infected... they're... they're stronger, faster." The three of them looked at him, "but it doesn't make any sense! Viruses aren't technically alive but they do evolve but this one shouldn't have!" Yoongi was hysterical as he pulled his hair.

Taehyung walked over to him, took his hands from out of his hair, and shushed him, "breath, come one, breath in deep." He waited until Yoongi did it. "Now explain."

"The infected. They're growing stronger it's... it's like the virus is changing." He moved his arms around, "the infected, the batch I ran into... they were newly infected. I... they were really close to your camp, I took out as many as I could, brought back as much as I could." Yoongi looked at the three geared up men with worry. 

Hoseok walked up to him, "like how hyung said, they're stronger but that's really nothing to worry about, right?"

Yoongi smacked his lips, "faster, moving is a lot more coordinated." He scratched his neck, "just be very careful." 

"Don't worry hyung, we'll go drop things off and then come right back to you," Jimin put his hand on Yoongi's shoulder and smiled, sweet and honey. 

Something settled in the bottom of Yoongi's stomach, it was heavy and it made him feel slightly ill. He didn't like it but there was no way he could convince the three of them to let him go instead. 

"Okay, come back safe to me."

He's known, Jimin and Taehyung for way less than Hoseok but the thought of losing any of them made his throat hot with worry. 

"Yoongi hyung really did a number on these fuckers." Jimin kicked at a decaying body as they walked through the field again, they were going back to the apartments. They were spread out and in pieces. "He's hardcore."

Hoseok chuckled, "Yoongi hyung, back then, when we were younger. And I mean younger, younger. He was—" he tilted his head, "a force to be reckoned with," a laugh, "back then Seokjin hyung would put us in these clothes," he moved his hands. "They were nice, if not what people liked to make fun of for being 'gay.' We would get looks and people would whisper to the side, dramatic stuff." Hoseok sighed as if he missed it, "one-time Yoongi had worn a really pretty gloss, bright pink, his make-up was done nice and his clothes boy! His clothes were it!" Hoseok laughed, slapping his knee, "he liked so fucking pretty, Min Yoongi was in this dress, Seokjin hyung tucked it into his pants and then tossed on this sheer yellow and orange sweater," his smile dropped a little, "someone called him a fag, Yoongi hyung walked up to him and broke his nose." 

Jimin broke off into laughter, "good," he was smiling big and happy, "I would've killed to see Yoongi dressed like that though."

"Me too," Taehyung sighed as he kicked an arm away, "he looks so pretty the way he is, I bet he would've looked pretty like that too." 

It was quiet for a while, they were less than halfway back to the apartments, it was quiet, _too quiet_. Their skin crawled as the wind swept by, brushing against the back of their necks. Taehyung had opened his mouth to say something when something sprung out from the alley he was near, it was fast, way too fast for any of them to notice when so unprepared. 

A scream of surprise ripped itself from Taehyung's throat as he threw the infected away from his neck, Jimin was quick to shoot it immobile, more dead. Hoseok was quick to take the rest that had popped out, Jimin joining as Taehyung fell to the ground. 

"Fuck," Taehyung groaned, "fuck, fuck, no..." his voice was shaky, he had just found someone so wonderful and now he was going to die. Dropping his hunting bow Taehyung pulled a small pistole from a strap on his pants, bringing it to his mouth, "god why now, oh god why now?!" His death was something he had started to think about almost constantly after the virus had broken out and after he watched his younger siblings get eaten in front of him. Getting infected was the most likely and a few years after the spread, being murdered by rogue groups of people because of a big maybe. Now, it was suicide. A thing that hung in the back of his mind, looming heavy in Taehyung's heart.

Before he could pull the trigger the gun was ripped from his hand, it was Jimin and he was looking down at him with angry and red eyes, sweat making his face red, "you're not fucking dying, not he—fuck!" An infected had launched itself at Jimin, he had enough luck to smack it and push it back. 

The bite hurt too much, it hurt to move. Taehyung had tried to stand up and help but he couldn't. 

"Shit! It's taking effect a lot faster!" Hoseok was shoot down three while Jimin was getting done with four, " _shit, shit, shit!_ " The older man kneeled down next to Taehyung, checking the bite, he didn't bother putting alcohol on it, "help me pick him up Jimin," they both grunted as they got Taehyung's arms over their shoulders, "we're running back." 

Taehyung almost laughed but decided that being bitten was bad enough. 

Everything was hurting, burning to a point that he felt like throwing himself on the ground and roll around until all his skin was scraped off. Sweat was starting to bead on his forehead and running over his eyebrows, maybe it was the sun or maybe the fact that his inner temperature was rising.

True to their word, the apartment complex was in their line of sight, and in no time or maybe Taehyung blackout, _it didn't matter anymore_. A few more minutes and the sounds of Jimin and Hoseok grunting was beginning to ring in Taehyung's ears, the bite was itching like hell and his hand kept twitching. Trying to scratch. His last moments on earth and they were fucking hell.

In front of the building, there was someone waiting there, they were pacing and looking at the ground, dressed in a white long sleeve and some blue jeans. They must've heard them because they snapped their head up and— _oh, oh no,_ it was Yoongi. 

Taehyung felt his throat clog up and it wasn't the bite, Yoongi's eyes were wide and then he was running. So fast. 

"Wha... what happened?!" He was looking at Jimin and Hoseok and he touched Taehyung's chest and then... then his eyes fell on Taehyung's neck. "Oh, oh god—fuck... fuck!" His lips were trembling and his eyes were getting watery, a shaky hand went up to his neck like he was going to touch but didn't. Just hovered his trembling fingers over the bleeding wound.

Jimin bit his lip and Hoseok had to look away. 

"'m sorry hyung," Taehyung's words were slow, "sorry for—" he grunted, "for leaving so soon." He tried to smile but Yoongi was already crying and there were tears gathering in Tahyung's eyes.

The hand that was wrapped around Taehyung's side squeezed him, it was Jimin. "You can cure him! Right Yoongi hyung!" He sounded hysterical as he looked at the older man, Yoongi flinched, "that—that pathogen you have!" 

Yoongi shook his head, "I... I don't have enough... I don't think—" he's looking at Taehyung like he was in pain, face pinched.

"No!" Jimin screams, "the thing that you got!" He's almost crying and Hoseok turns to look at them, Yoongi's shaking. 

"That's—" He's looking at Taehyung, "I don't know if it'll work on someone already bitten—" he licks his lips, "do... do you wanna try?" Yoongi's still crying and so was everyone else.

"Please," Taehyung all but wheezed. 

Two cages. Full. Infected trying to get out. They lay Taehyung on the ground and start to take his clothes off, to Yoongi's instructions. Taehyung is left shivering and sweating on the cold floor with nothing but his boxers on. Seokjin walks in and takes the clothes, gently dragging Namjoon away, he's still shaking. 

When Yoongi comes back, he has half the mind to growl at the infected who stop moving. 

Kneeling next to Taehyung's head, on the side of the bite, Yoongi sets down two things. A tray. A small case. He smiles at Taehyung, fast and scared. Clicking the case open Yoongi takes out a vile, it's short and fat and red. He turns to the tray and gets a needle, it's long. Nothing was making much sense, where he really was, how he was breathing, _was he breathing?_ The needle goes into one of the ends of the vile and pulls out every drop. Its motion smooth and the color was the brightest thing in the room, making what little attention Taehyung could muster zero in on it.

A sigh, "I need you two to leave." Yoongi sounds broken. Jimin's about to protest, "please." He stops and lets Hoseok push him out. With a smile, he closes the door. Locks it. 

"You're so pretty," Taehyung twitches a smile, and Yoongi twitches one back, it's a stiff interaction but it makes the man lying on the ground feel better.

"Thanks."

Something is being shoved into the side of his neck, he doesn't feel it, not that much. What Taehyung does feel however is the burning in his veins and the way his bones snap, he thinks he might be screaming but he's already on his side and spitting blood and teeth from his mouth. Yoongi had moved over to the cages. 

Bones snap and crunch, locks are being removed. 

With one final _snap_ , the doors open. 

Taehyung had never felt so _hungry_ before.

* * *

By the time Taehyung and Yoongi left the room, it was nightfall. Jimin hadn't eaten a single thing and Jeongguk was still sniffling. The kids were passed out on four layers of thick blankets Seokjin had spread out on the lobby floor. The air was thick with tension so layered it felt real o their skin.

Taehyung was leaning a little against Yoongi and was drenched in the same substances Yoongi was the first time they met him. He smiled when he saw everyone. The same sharp teeth Yoongi had. They looked at home like they did on Yoongi. Everyone's baseline instinct was to go hug the men but were promptly stopped by the mess of... things smeared on Taehyung everywhere.

Yoongi smiled. Still shaky. As he held Taehyung's arm, he looked like he was afraid of letting go. No one questioned them as they made their way to Yoongi's room, everyone picking the kids up and putting them to bed. Jimin hugged Taehyung tight and long after he had showered, letting go once he had felt better. Stuff needed to be discussed, explained, talked about but no one had the energy for it, no one had barely enough energy to even smile.

They were standing in the living room, facing each other as a clock ticked in the background. Yoongi's lips trembled as he walked into Taehyung's firm chest, the taller man wasting no time wrapping his arms around the shorter man. 

"Hey, Yoongi, I'm right here, I'm alive." One of Taehyung's arms was wrapped around his waist and the other was petting Yoongi's hair. "I'm alive and kicking, heart beating, I'm never leaving." Somewhere inside of Taehyung's head, he hears himself say that he should laugh but Yoongi might actually bite him.

Yoongi shudders, "I told you guys to be careful!" He wants to sound mad, but his breaths are shaky and he's still in Taehyung's arms. His hands are holding tight onto the front of Taehyung's shirt, "you scared me to death..." his voice trails off and Taehyung feels the bottom of his spine tingle. 

"Hey, no," he's pushing Yoongi away so he can look down at him, his eyebrows set, "no. I don't know what you were going to say but I do know I wouldn't like it." Yoongi's resting his chin on Taehyung's shoulder, the taller of the two resting the side of his jaw against the older's head. "You have kids now Yoongi, they love you so much that it would break them to pieces." Words slipped softly from his lips, breaking and cracking into the warm still air of the living room. 

It was true, Yoongi meant so much to people who needed him, those kids he found, the moment he laid his eyes on them he somehow _knew_ , they would matter so much to him. Yoongi wants to see them grow, learn about the world much like how he had but it was virtually _impossible_ , the world Yoongi had embraced and fought against was gone. All he could do now was teach them how to live in this rotting, reforming hellscape, how to try and find a way to help anything that lived and breathed. That was what those little sparks of life meant to him, hope for a future where no one feared how they do now and a love that he had never imagined he would've felt. 

"How?" Yoongi's voice was weak as he looked up at Taehyung, "how was it so easy for you to just walk into my life and make you so fucking important? How?" A sniffle as he brought a hand to hit the younger man on the shoulder. 

Taehyung threw his head back, the tears he had held back slipping freely down his cheeks. "I'm just that... dazzling." 

A chuckle left the shorter man. His large cold hands cupped the taller man's face and wiped away the tears that kept falling. It was a heartbreakingly beautiful sight, the warm tears streaming down stretched cheeks, this vision of anguish being broken by a radiant smile. Nothing would ever be able to compare to Taehyung when he stripped himself to the bone. 

More time they spent holding each other, the clock ticking in the background and their calming breaths making a type of rhythm that they had taken to rocking each other too. They didn't stop until their legs ached and sleep was starting to eat away at the edges of their vision, making their eyes droop with the need to close them. 

Soft, dragging feet made their way to the room at the end of the hallway, hands entangled with each other, opening the door, the soft click rang loud in the slumbering apartment. Both adults smiled at the sight of the children sleeping on the bed, hearts warmed with endearment. Gently letting go of their hands, Yoongi and Taehyung walked to opposite sides of the bed and found space to lay down. Wrapping themself around the five children as best they could. And like that, they drifted off to sleep, faces warm and hot from crying, eyes dry.

There was a lot to talk about, to think about, and figure out but what mattered now was to sleep. 

Dreams were muddled with blood and cuts, searing pain cutting through bone and tearing at his muscle with vigor so like what Taehyung thought was hell. Blood and more blood, all the blood and even more, and even with the way it wasn't red anymore and swirled into black, dripping into his mouth and it all tasted like heaven. The sloppy meshy skin candy-sweet and filling. 

Everything was right and Taehyung felt sick.

Sleep came easy to the rest of the people residing in the building, the high tension and emotions felt during the day draining all of them to the point where nothing could wake them up now that they had fallen into slumber. The nights there had never been this quiet, even though there were much more people in the building. Nothing. 

Slowly their chests rose and fell, falling deep until it looked like they wouldn't be able to rise but they did. For everyone, it was the same, almost. Taehyung and Yoongi were the outliers, their chest fell deep, then deeper and even deeper.

Peace. That was what was felt throughout the whole building. 

**Author's Note:**

> i actually have a lot more for this but i dont have the motivation to write everything that i want to in so i just finished it this point and yeah, there is so much more in the sort of solid plot that i have, like more emotion development and talking about feeling maybe even smut? but that would be _dark_ so maybe separately. i hope everyone reading this enjoyed the ending of this because that what i wrote it with zero motivation. everything else i wrote like a year ago ;-; 
> 
> thank you for reading!!!
> 
> besitios babes!
> 
> p.s — sleep enough to get through the day (at least!) eat enough food and drink water, stay healthy cuties (´▽`ʃ♡ƪ)


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